Children's Home run by London Borough of Hillingdon in Hillingdon

Inspection report for children’s home: SC068789 1 SC068789 Registered provider: London Borough of Hillingdon Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The local authority owns and runs this home for up to nine children staying for short breaks or long-term care. In their statement of purpose, the provider states that care is provided for children who may have physical and/or learning disabilities and emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in December 2006. The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2017. There is a new interim manager in post who is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

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Inspection date: 22 March 2022

Date of last inspection: 8 December 2021

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Inspection date: 22 March 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 22 March 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC068789 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judged that it has sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children living in the home make good progress from their starting points. The inspector was informed that children learn to make choices and improve their communication skills. With staff support, children gain confidence to access the community and use public transport. One child has learned to cook for the first time. However, the inspector found it difficult to identify children’s specific targets and progress. The interim manager said that she is developing a system for regular progress monitoring of reports.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The majority of the children who use the service are non-verbal. The inspector was shown examples of the children’s communication resources, but was unclear how often staff use these aides to help children to have a voice in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff help children to enjoy their time in the home. Staff plan activities for the children such as a recent week-long celebration of Chinese New Year, and one child has enjoyed a much anticipated trip to Legoland. However, there is no record of children’s activity preferences and the staff handover logs do not consistently set out the planned activities for each child during the week.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The interim manager has developed children’s risk assessments and positive behaviour support plans. Despite this, some of the children’s risk assessments do not identify the strategies required to help to reduce these risks, and risks are not consistently reviewed. Furthermore, these documents are not signed in line with the home’s policy.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

It is clear that the interim manager has taken steps to begin to address the shortfalls identified at the last inspection. However, a combination of staff shortages, and the impact of COVID-19 amongst staff and children, has impacted on the home and, as a result, this has limited the progress of improvements.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two of the recommendations made at the last inspection have been met. The manager has ensured that staff supervisions are up to date, and children’s care records now contain placing authority care plans and children’s EHC plans.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

While the interim manager is tackling the shortfalls identified at the last inspection, with the exception of one requirement, none of the requirements set at the last inspection have been met and an additional requirement has been set at this inspection. A further recommendation has been made to continue the refurbishment of the home. The interim manager recognises that more work is to be done and says that, ‘It is a work in progress.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC068789 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/12/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/12/2019 Full Good 22/05/2018 Full Good 14/06/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC068789 4

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding; and 30 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC068789 5 make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that any care that is arranged or provided for a child that—

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Requirement Due date

relates to the child’s development (within the meaning of section 17(11) of the Children Act 1989) or health; and

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Requirement Due date

is not arranged or provided as part of the health service continued under section 1(1) of the National Health Service Act 2006(1), satisfies the conditions in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

that the care is approved, and kept under review throughout its duration, by the placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that the care is delivered by a person who—

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Requirement Due date

has the experience, knowledge and skills to deliver that care; and

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Requirement Due date

is under the supervision of a person who is appropriately skilled and qualified to supervise that care; and

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Requirement Due date

that the registered person keeps the child’s general medical practitioner informed, as necessary, about the progress of the care throughout its duration. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(c)(i)(ii)(d)(i)(ii) (3)(a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that key-work sessions and/or social stories, and pictorial tools are used to meet Inspection report for children’s home: SC068789 6 children’s needs effectively and to support children to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s privacy will be respected and the circumstances when it may have to be limited;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to prepare for any review of the child’s relevant plans and to make the child’s views, wishes and feelings known for the purposes of that review; and

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Requirement Due date

is enabled to provide feedback to, and raise issues with, a relevant person about the support and services that the child receives. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(b)(i)) 30 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC068789 7 This specifically relates to ensuring that the children’s views, wishes and feelings are sought by the manager and staff.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that:  Risk assessments include the strategies to help staff to manage the risks to keep children safe.  That all children have a behaviour support plan in place.  Risk assessments and behaviour support plans must be updated following significant incidents. 30 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC068789 8 The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all records meet the home’s recording standards and are also legible. 30 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— 30 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC068789 9 research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that agency members of staff have the necessary skills for the role.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

HMCI; 30 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC068789 10 upon request, the local authority for the area in which the home is located;

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Requirement Due date

the registered provider and, if applicable, the registered manager; and

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Requirement Due date

the responsible individual (if one is nominated). (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5) (7)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the independent person sets out their opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded and the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that restraint records meet all of the requirements of the regulation. 30 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that— 30 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC068789 11 the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to leaders and managers ensuring that agency staff files include photographic identification, a record of their home induction, and disclosure and barring service updates.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they strive to make the home a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of children. In particular, the registered person should continue with the planned refurbishment of the home including the replastering of some of the home’s ceilings and replace or recover a worn sofa. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: SC068789 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: London Borough of Hillingdon

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: London Borough of Hillingdon, Civic Centre, High Street, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 1UW

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Inspector

Victoria Jones, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC068789 13 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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